Even though participation in SNAP E&T is voluntary, all SNAP recipients must be tracked in eCIS with an appropriate ETP Status Code. This code identifies whether a SNAP recipient is a work registrant.
Individuals who have been assigned ETP codes 06, 10 15, 16, 19, 23, or 30 are work registrants. Individuals who meet the criteria for any other ETP code are not work registrants. If two or more ETP Status Codes apply to an individual, at least one of which would exempt the individual from work registration, the CAO must assign a code making the individual exempt from work registration.
SNAP ETP codes include:
Work Registrant? |
Code |
Description |
no |
01 |
Under-age 16 |
no |
02 |
60 years of age or older |
no |
03 |
ill/incapacitated (includes individuals referred to or participating in a drug/alcohol program) |
no |
04 |
person needed in home to care for another household member who is ill or incapacitated |
yes |
06 |
full-time VISTA volunteer (Title I DVSA) |
yes |
10 |
verified pregnant in 2nd or 3rd trimester. |
no |
12 |
non-exempt or a volunteer under TANF cash category (ETP code 60 or 61) |
no |
13 |
16 or 17 years of age and must meet one of the following conditions: not head of household, enrolled in an E&T program at least half time, or attending school |
no |
14 |
applied for or is receiving unemployment compensation |
yes |
15 |
expected to return to work within 60 days |
yes |
16 |
homeless (non-chronic) |
no |
17 |
receives weekly earnings that are equal to or greater than the federal minimum wage times 30 hours per week or works 30 hours per week or more |
no |
18 |
cares for child under age six |
yes |
19 |
travel time is more than two hours, round trip, from employment, education, or training site |
no |
20 |
enrolled in school or training at least half time |
no |
21 |
migrant or seasonal farmworker under contract with an employer or crew chief to begin work within 30 days |
yes |
23 |
receives expedited SNAP benefits |
no |
26 |
unable to work as defined by DHS |
yes |
30 |
does not meet any exemption criterion (use this code for individuals who do not meet an exemption, even if they choose to volunteer for SNAP E&T) |
* |
40 |
exempt, but volunteers (use this code for individuals who meet any exemption and choose to volunteer for SNAP E&T) |
*-this code can potentially be both depending on the exemption reason.
Special Notes
For ETP Code 03, the CAO must only verify the disability if it is not obvious. A statement from a physician, psychologist, physician assistant or certified registered nurse practitioner or proof that a person is receiving disability benefits or has applied for SSI, is acceptable verification. The CAO must assign ETP code 03 to any veteran who has been assigned a 10 percent or higher disability rating from the VA without requiring further verification.
The CAO should assign ETP Code 23 for expedited SNAP NCE authorizations if the CAO is unable to determine if the individual meets another exemption code within expedited SNAP timeframes.
ETP Code 26 may be assigned to chronically homeless persons and victims of domestic violence, based on the SNAP recipient’s statement. An individual is considered chronically homeless if they have been homeless for at least six months or have demonstrated a pattern of intermittent homelessness over the past two years.
535.31 Individuals who do not meet an Exemption
When an individual does not meet an exemption, the CAO will enter ETP Status Code 30 in eCIS. This ETP Status Code should not be changed even if the individual subsequently volunteers to participate in SNAP E&T. The individual is not required to participate in SNAP E&T; however, if they volunteer to participate, they must agree to “participate for the hours of the program.” This should be recorded on the individual’s Employment Development Plan (EDP).
An individual cannot be sanctioned if they stop participating in a SNAP E&T program. The individual becomes ineligible for Special Allowances for Supportive Services (SPALs) when they stop participating.
An individual may volunteer for any of the activities identified in Appendix A, SNAP Employment and Training Activities.
535.32 Individuals who meet an Exemption (Exempt Status Codes)
OPS-16-09-02 Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) Receiving Veteran Affairs (VA) Benefits
When an individual meets an exemption, the corresponding ETP Status Code must be entered in CIS. Enter only the corresponding exemption code for individuals who meet an exemption and do not volunteer.
The CAO must change the ETP Status Code to 40 if an exempt individual later decides to volunteer to participate in SNAP activities
The exemption codes are used to determine whether a SNAP recipient is a work registrant.
535.33 Reviewing Employment and Training (E&T) Status Codes
The CAO will review the ETP Status Code when a change is reported to see if an update is necessary. See Chapter 570, Reporting Changes, to determine which changes must be reported.
The CAO will review ETP Status Codes to ensure accuracy at every renewal.
Updated April 30, 2024, replacing May 19, 2021